The main objective of AERIAL-CORE is the development of core technology modules and an integrated aerial cognitive robotic system that will have unprecedented capabilities on the operational range and safety in the interaction with people, or Aerial Co-Workers (ACW), for applications such as the inspection and maintenance of large infrastructures. The project will integrate aerial robots with different characteristics to meet the requirements of: (1) Long range (several kilometres) and local very accurate (subcentimetre) inspection of the infrastructure capability; (2) Maintenance activities based on aerial manipulation involving force interactions; and (3) Aerial co-working safely and efficiently helping human workers in inspection and maintenance. AERIAL-CORE technology modules will be based on Cognitive Mechatronics and apply cognitive capabilities to aerial morphing in order to combine long range endurance and hovering for local observations, manipulation involving force interactions, and co-working with humans. The project will develop: (1) Cognitive functionalities for aerial robots including perception based on novel sensors, such as event cameras, and data fusion techniques, learning, reactivity, fast on-line planning, and teaming; (2) Aerial platforms with morphing capabilities, to save energy in long range flights and perform a very accurate inspection; (3) Cognitive aerial manipulation capabilities, including manipulation while flying, while holding with one limb, and while hanging or perching to improve accuracy and develop greater forces; (4) Cognitive safe aerial robotic co-workers capable of physical interaction with people; and (5) Integrated aerial robotic system for the inspection and maintenance of large infrastructures. The system will be demonstrated in electrical power system inspection and maintenance, which is an application with a huge economic impact that also has implications in the safety of workers and in wildlife conservation.

SIMAR proposes a new type of inspection robot that is composed of an aerial system with advanced navigation capabilities that will allow to safely land on pipes, even if they are located in complex and cluttered locations and deploy and light-weight crawlers that integrate either adapted X-ray or PEC (Pulsed Eddy-Current) sensors to perform complete inspections of insulated pipes. The main purpose of SIMAR resides on keeping the human workers of dangerous industrial plants in a location, where inspection and maintenance activities can be performed in a safe and healthy way. This will be done by applying the MOVE, SUPPORT and UNDERSTAND functionalities, integrated into a unique system, validated in a controlled environment, and finally demonstrated in a real operational industrial facility of the SIMAR end-users. MOVE will be implemented by robots with flying and crawling locomotion, SUPPORT by the application of Augmented Reality, and UNDERSTAND by means of Artificial Intelligence. In order to overcome the above challenge, SIMAR will pursue four objectives: 1. Multipurpose aerial/ground robotic system to keep away workers from dangerous situations for a safe, robust, and trusted inspection. 2.Artificial Intelligence and augmented reality systems to reduce human workload and level of stress. 3.Human-centered robotics inspection system 4.TRL7 validation and demonstration on an operational petrochemical facility taking into account end-users' requirements. SIMAR consortium is formed by 7 high-profile European partners (CATEC, AUTH, QUASSET, CHEVRON, VES, USE and BASF) from 5 EU Member States, which have been carefully selected for their proven experience, as well as their complementarity and transnationality, in order to give the necessary knowledge, expertise, and cutting-edge background to assure the success of the project.